It's Monday! What are you reading? From Picture Books to YA - 8/5/13

Lately, reading has been this weird adventure. With my head caught up with the two classes I am taking and some changes at work, I find myself wanting "comfort food" reading. This means, I want to return to books that I have read, where I know the characters and if there is going to be a happy ending. I find it is my way of coping with uncertainty, change, and stress. However, it does nothing for making a dent in my "to-read" pile. Despite the tug to go after the familiar, I did actually get quite a bit of award reading done, and had time for a few other titles.

Here is what I can talk about that stood out from the pile...

Same, Same, But Different by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw (Henry Holt and Co., 2011) - I am late to the party in discovering this book, but it really is nicely done and would be a great addition to a diversity collection for any classroom.

Snowflakes Fall by Patricia MacLachlan; Illustrated by Steven Kellogg (Random House, October 29, 2013) - This one doesn't come out until late October. Patricia MacLachlan pairs up with Steven Kellogg to create a tribute to the children who were lost during the shooting at a Sandy Hook school.

Squirrel's Fun Day by Lisa Moser; Illustrated by Valeri Gorbachev (Candlewick, June 11, 2013) - This early reader is about friendship, fun, and a few lessons about how to care for your friends.

Rules by Cynthia Lord (Scholastic Press, 2006) - I did re-read this one, but I read it for a class assignment. And despite having read it before and knowing exactly how it would end, I still managed to find myself reaching for the tissue box. There is no question in my mind why this one received both a Newbery Honor and a Schneider Family Book Award in 2007. Everyone should read this book.